.OTk0.OTk0

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PEACHTREE SEVENTH BUILDING, ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30323 · March 20, 1969 REGION Ill I N REPLY REFER TO: 3RF Mr. M. B. Satterfield Executive Director · Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta 824 Hurt Building Atlanta, Georgia 30303 Dear Mr. Satterfield: Subject: Project No. Ga. A-2 Acquisition of "Hardship" or "Opportunity" Parcels in NDP Mr. Howard Openshaw has asked as to our policy on the use of project - ·I •I ·, funds under a Neighborhood Development Program for the acquisition during the 11Action Year" of land not scheduled for acquisition during that year • . His specific question relates to the acquisition of about 40 scattered parcels on which are vacant, ~ilapidated structures, located in the Bedford-Pine area. The Activity Program for the NDP anticipated that these parcels would not be acquired this year, but instead i n a subsequent year • - The NDP offers flexibility in the acquisition of land, so tha t an LPA can purchase land in hardship cases or opportunity cases, even though the land was not scheduled for acquisition irt the Action Year. A contingency amount is put in the annual budget for this . pur pose. Of cours e , no land can be pur chased unl ess it meets the area el igibility r equirements o f Georgi a and Federal l aw , a nd unless it is in an area for which ther e is an urban renewal plan which has been approv ed locally and by HUD. The Bedford-Pine area meets these requirement s; most other areas in Atlanta 's NDP do not. We believe that the money in an NDP as a contingency for land acquisition, and even money included for land acquisition in specified areas, may be used for purchasing parcels not designated for acquisition in the Action Year. However, such parcels must be either hardship" or "opportunity" parcels, and the owners must be willing to sell for the offering price; eminent domain should not be used for policy reasons. �-2You should obtain our approval for the purchase of each of the hardship" or "opportunity" parcels. Our approval will authorize your securing appraisals and a title search of the property and its purchase later, at a concurred-in price. We will follow a liberal policy in granting approvals, and will not superimpose our judgment as to what · constitutes a "hardship" or "opportunity" on the judgment of your Authority. Nonetheless, we must determine that the acquisition of these parcels does not take money, staff time, relocation housing, or other resources to such an extent that the programmed accomplishments of the Action Year cannot be met. This policy should provide sufficient latitude for your Authority to change its acquisition program to meet changed circumstances during the year. Sincerely yours, 8~n-. J. . \/ohn T. Edmunds Assistant Regional Administrator ~ " ;_,-.,.__L _z - , . for Renewal Assistance l �